Earth Overshoot Day 2023 fell on August 2

In a resounding call for sustainability and innovation, Slovenia’s Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy ushers in the One-Hour Initiative during high-level event commemorating this year’s Earth Overshoot Day

Power of Possibility

We know that thinking about overshoot can be overwhelming—we’re right there with you. First, we should mention that we’re not ecological resource- or climate-“doom-and-gloom” people. We’re also not over-optimistic, “change-your-lightbulbs-and-we’ll-be-OK” types, either. We’re realists. Somewhere in the middle.

Individuals have the power to better their homes and communities. The greatest potential for large-scale impact, however, lies with governments and businesses who align their policies and strategies with the reality of our finite planet.

More precisely, immense #PowerOfPossibility can be found in the countless existing solutions that can be implemented at scale. With them, we can make ourselves more resilient and #MoveTheDate of Earth Overshoot Day.

Explore the solutions!

rePLANET

Food waste prevention legislation

Plant-based meals in school canteens

Interzero

Circular Companies: Recycling and Refurbishing

microgrid

Rural Solar Power and Microgrids

solar panels on house roof

Atmos Financial

Financing Decarbonization

Land Stewardship for Low Impact Beef Production

Improved Emissions Standards for Trucks

Past Overshoot Days

Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year.

How does this year’s date compare to that of previous years?

Explore past Overshoot Days

Explore Solutions to #MoveTheDate

Thriving lives within the means of our planet are not out of reach. Plenty of solutions exist in five major areas
for improving sustainability: planet, cities, energy, food, and population.

Planet

How we help nature thrive

Cities

How we design and manage cities

Energy

How we power ourselves

Food

How we produce, distribute, and consume food

Population

How many of us there are

Can we live in balance with the Earth?

The #MoveTheDate Solutions map is your go-to place to post and browse relevant information about active projects (“solutions”) that contribute to bringing human activity in balance with Earth’s ecological budget. This means moving the date of Earth Overshoot Day to December 31 or later.

Explore the map to find solutions that have been implemented in your country, or create an account and add a solution that you love.

Explore solutions map

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Earth Overshoot Day By the Numbers

3800
million years ago life first evident on Earth
121
increase in world population since 1970
-68
decline in average population size of vertebrate species since 1970
60
of humanity’s Ecological Footprint is carbon

Meet our partners

blue Global Footprint Network logo

Earth Overshoot Day is an initiative of Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that is changing the way the world measures and manages its natural resources. The date of Earth Overshoot Day is calculated with National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts data, available for free at data.footprintnetwork.org.